It often comes as a shock to motorcycle riders when they get an insurance quote – and this article looks at some of the factors that can have an impact on the cost of motorcycle insurance.

While some factors, such as where in the UK you live and the likelihood of crime in your area and your motorcycle’s make and model are fixed and difficult to affect, there are other calculations involved in insurance premiums for bikes which are more variable, and which you can research and apply in order to reduce costs.

Who is being insured

While it is now unlawful for all forms of motor insurance to take gender into account in determining insurance quotes, certain risk analysis remain at the disposal of companies in trying to predict the likelihood of accidents and expensive damage caused by at-fault riders and drivers.

Often, a series of categories of profession are offered by insurance companies, which do not quite match up to the many varied and rapidly developing jobs people do, which in turn do not equate strictly to the old-fashioned professions the companies tend to rely on still.

Police officers and teachers receive better rates, and while there’s nothing much you can do about it if you earn your living as an investigative journalist or stunt performer, if your office job entails both activities which are recognised as socially responsible and more risky ventures, you should identify a professional title that encapsulates your responsible side.

Plus ones

Equally, another one of the main factors affecting motorcycle insurance in the UK is whether you take passengers and, if you do, what their background data indicates according to the insurance analyst’s algorithms. For a younger rider, there are benefits of naming a more mature passenger, or one who has a social or law-related profession. Riders who regularly have their partner ride with them, for example, are less likely to have accidents and more likely to ride responsibly, according to the insurance companies.

Minimising risk

Taking proactive steps to protect your motorcycle from opportunistic and petty theft can, in the long run, reduce your insurance costs, as one of the key factors affecting motorcycle insurance is where the bike is stored overnight.

Risk is largely determined in this context according to postcode and statistical crime rates, so it is out of your hands short of moving house. However, thinking outside of the box a little, such as looking around for cheap garages near your flat, or even asking a neighbour to take up a small amount of space with your bike overnight, is a practical solution to a fixed factor in calculating insurance premiums for your bike.

The main thing for your bike, much as it is for teenage children, is to keep it off the streets at night, so explore your neighbourhood to try to find ways of avoiding this. If you do park on the street, the type of anti-theft devices, including the type of chain you use, will be a major consideration.

Final considerations

While some factors affecting motorcycle insurance are variable, as indicated, further factors that are fixed include the make and model of the bike being insured, any penalties and convictions declarable from five years to the present date, and any at-fault claims. It is therefore worth researching the variable factors in detail.

This article has been written by James McDonnel, a passionate writer who loves everything that has to do with wheels and driving/riding.
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If you’re based in France and want to take part in the fight against the Government’s continued policy to ban motorcyclists from filtering through traffic, then contact the Fédération Française des Motards en Colère (FFMC – French Federation of Angry Bikers).

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Motorcycling is getting extremely popular in the United Kingdom and, as a result, more and more British bikers choose to visit France on their motorbike or scooter.

Safety laws relating to motorcyclists have changed in France in recent years, so to ensure that you enjoy the freedom of the open road without suffering an accident or having a brush with the law, here are some key safety reminders.

Stay safe and on the right side of the law in France

The vast majority of bike enthusiasts will be able to tell you about a particularly pleasurable road trip involving the French roads, heading to iconic destinations such as Toulon and Provence to name a few. You can still enjoy a safe trip to France but bikers should be aware of a raft of regulations that have been brought in that relate specifically to motorcyclists. Here are some of the main points to remember or be aware of.

Filtering / Lane Splitting

It is still illegal to filter through slow moving or stationary traffic in France and the French Motorcycle Federation has even accused the Police of cynically and deliberately slowing traffic with their cars on Paris’s ring roads in order to catch bikers slipping through the jam, so that they can fine them.

Drink driving

Quite rightly, there are strict laws about the level of alcohol you are allowed in your body (0.5mg.ml limit) but bikers should also be aware that they should, in theory, carry a pair of breathalysers on them at all times, which are not expensive at about £6.50. That said and although by law a pair of breathalysers are compulsory to carry, if you are caught not carrying any, a fine is highly unlikely as this piece of legislation has not really been enforced.

Reflective stickers

In accordance to French law, your helmet must be equipped with reflective stickers. Although this law has been effective for quite a long time, it is only recently that it has been enforced. Click here for further details.

Ride to survive

Biking is a lot of fun but it should never be forgotten that motorcycles are the smallest vehicles on the road and are always going to be potentially more vulnerable in a crash. The best safety advice you can give when it comes to riding your bike is to be extra cautious and even try to anticipate the moves of other vehicles, especially trucks. By all means enjoy your time on the bike, but those that ride with a degree of caution and even take a defensive approach to staying safe on the road will increase their chances of avoiding a crash or injury.

The right gear

The vast majority of motorcyclists take their personal safety very seriously and would not compromise this by not wearing or having the right clothing and equipment to wear. A good crash helmet is vital in order to protect you in the event of an accident and it is never worth cutting corners when it comes to cost or safety features, so always make sure that your modern day skid lid has a sticker to show that it meets Department of Transport compliance standards. The right protective clothing is also critical and it is never worth the temptation on a hot day to reduce your level of protection by leaving a few layers off as you never know when it may be needed to help you avoid picking up an injury that you could have otherwise avoided.

As a biker, it is guaranteed that you probably already know all about these safety issues and guidelines, but they are reminders that you simply can’t hear often enough.

This guest post has been written by Gillian Kearney who has extensive experience as a driving instructor. Her articles mainly appear on driving blogs. Visit the Theory Test Online link to learn more.

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If you’re based in France and want to take part in the fight against the Government’s continued policy to ban motorcyclists from filtering through traffic, then contact the Fédération Française des Motards en Colère (FFMC – French Federation of Angry Bikers).

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In early January of this year, we advised all our readers that the current French Interior Minister, Manuel Valls, had decided to scrap his predecessor’s ludicrous proposals for all motorcyclists to wear any form of reflective clothing while riding their motorbike or scooter. Unfortunately, there has been for some time another (stupid) piece of legislation forcing all bikers in France, whether residents or visitors, to wear a helmet with reflective stickers on, and this one has not been scrapped. Bikers caught wearing a helmet without stickers may face a 135 euros fine payable on the spot and 3 points taken off their licence. The police have recently been enforcing this rule quite severely in Paris and other locations throughout France.

All helmets must have four reflective stickers: one on the front, one at the rear and one on each side. The surface of each sticker must be 18 cm2 and, within each sticker, you must be able to draw a 40 mm diameter circle, or a 12.50 cm2 rectangle with a minimum of 20 mm length, as shown on the below picture.

Rest assured, when you buy a new helmet in France, compliant stickers usually come with it, however, it is your responsibility to correctly stick them on your helmet. There is one more requirement which is that the stickers should not be removable without damaging the helmet and must remain reflective over time. They must also be water resistant and not interfere with the opening and closing mechanism of the helmet (if applicable). If you live in the United Kingdom (or any other country for that matter) and intend to visit France on motorised two or three wheels, you must by law enter France with compliant reflective stickers on your helmet. It is entirely your choice whether you do or not, but if a nasty policeman in a bad mood spots you with no compliant stickers on your helmet, you may find yourself being given a hard time.

As far as we know, France is the only country in the entire world that requires reflective stickers on helmets. We all know very well that the current French socialist president, François Hollande, has no interest other than stealth tax everyone in that country to fund the huge public deficit, so this piece of legislation, which has been in place for some time, is unlikely to be scrapped. On a much wider scale, he has already made thousands of French citizens leave their country and take advantage of the free mobility and relaxed immigration rules within the European Union to escape from the French tax system, which is one with the highest tax rates in the world. Thousands of French citizens have decided to relocate to the neighbouring United Kingdom where London is the sixth largest “French city”, a large proportion of whom have done so purely to escape from the French tax system and the on-going pressures and economic uncertainties in the euro zone. This piece of legislation to force all bikers to have reflective stickers on their helmet, which could have been scrapped considering its stupidity, is a typical example of the current French government’s practice to grab any “centime” they possibly can by deliberately introducing ridiculous laws which the vast majority of residents and visitors would find useless and ignore. Can you imagine how many bikers the French police may have caught so far not having compliant stickers on their helmet and how much they may have cashed in on behalf of the French government? Motorcyclists are already obliged to ride with their bike’s head lights (front and rear) switched on, is this not enough to remain visible at all times? Reflective stickers, like any reflective clothing in general, are precisely not reflective during day light, so where is the logic in this law?

Let’s see how long the reputable and most respected FFMC (Fédération Française des Motards en Colère) will take to force the government to reverse this stupid and money grabbing piece of legislation, now that it is being enforced. In the meantime, you have been warned – put stickers on your helmet or you may get done (or else don’t ride in France all together)! It is time that the French government starts to treat motorcyclists like responsible adults and not like children to whom apply punitive rules.

If you’re based in France and want to take part in the fight against the Government’s continued policy to ban motorcyclists from filtering through traffic, then contact the Fédération Française des Motards en Colère (FFMC – French Federation of Angry Bikers).

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Westminster City Council have been charging for motorcycle parking in the heart of the British capital since August 2008 and still remain the only council that charges for motorcycle parking in London. When the scheme was being set up, it was Westminster’s intention to spread it all over London and the rest of the United Kingdom by selling their services to other councils in exchange for a fee. Westminster’s plans failed through for various reasons, which fall outside the topic of this post.

A campaign called “No To The Bike Parking Tax” started shortly after Westminster’s introduction of the motorcycle charging scheme and, despite thousands of motorcyclists demonstrating in the streets of London every month and blocking the traffic, the council refused to scrap their blatant money grabbing scheme. The campaign took Westminster Council to the UK courts twice to challenge the fairness of the scheme and the way it was set up, but did not succeed in obtaining an adverse judgement against the scheme. This campaign has since gone quiet and the motorcycle parking tax in Westminster continues to operate.

We now wonder why other London councils have not followed Westminster’s lead to charge motorcyclists to pay for parking. The reason is very simple: Westminster’s motorcycle parking scheme is regarded by many as being socially exclusive, thus other councils are reluctant to adopt a similar scheme and prefer to keep motorcycle parking free of charge.

Let us explain. To park your motorcycle or scooter on-street in the central London borough of Westminster, you must own a credit/debit card and a mobile phone. Once you have parked your bike in a dedicated motorcycle bay, you need to dial the number that is indicated on the adjacent sign, and using your touch telephone keypad, pay the tax with your credit/debit card. So what if you do not own either a credit/debit card or a mobile phone (or both)? Well, basically, you are stuck, as paper based tickets issued by the very few on-street machines are not practical for motorcycles. If you find yourself in that situation, you are strongly advised to ride back to where you come from to avoid receiving a penalty charge notice (PCN). You can also consider yourself a potential victim of social exclusion.

If you do not own a mobile phone but have internet access and a credit/debit card, you can pay the charge online in advance to riding into Westminster. However, if you do not have internet access (or a mobile phone for that matter), you are unable to prepay for your parking and, thus not allowed to park your motorcycle in any council’s dedicated bay. You can, again, consider yourself a potential victim of social exclusion (needless to say that by paying in advance, you are not guaranteed a parking space as prepaying for your parking does not mean that you are booking a parking space).

Finally, the council has been put under pressure to (reluctantly) offer a prepayment facility to bikers who only have access to pulse dialling telephones and, therefore, need to speak to an operator to make their payment. Whilst this is helping those who do not own a touch tone telephone, if you do not own a debit/credit card, this facility is of no assistance and you are, once again, a potential victim of social exclusion. Interestingly enough, the council seems to hide the operator based phone number from the public, as this facility appears to be quite expensive for the council to run. Although it is primarily available to use by those with a pulse dialling telephone, anyone can actually use this facility, whether to prepay from home or pay on-street from a mobile phone. It is fair to say that for many of us, it is a lot more pleasant and straight forward to speak to, and be guided by, an operator rather than deal with an anonymous automated service. So here is the number to call if you would rather speak to an operator to pay (or prepay) for your parking in Westminster:

020 3362 7000

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In conclusion, if you do not own a credit or debit card, regardless of how you may wish to pay for your parking (in advance or on-street), stay away from Westminster during chargeable hours or be happy to receive a penalty charge notice (PCN). Can you now understand why other councils, who would love to fill up their coffers by charging motorcyclists to park, have refrained from doing so? Purely because they are concerned about the social exclusion issues associated with a motorcycle charging scheme similar to the one operated by Westminster Council. The question now is how long Westminster Council will be able to sustain a motorcycle parking scheme that widely appears to be socially exclusive. Let’s see…

If you’re based in France and want to take part in the fight against the Government’s continued policy to ban motorcyclists from filtering through traffic, then contact the Fédération Française des Motards en Colère (FFMC – French Federation of Angry Bikers).

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One of our readers has forwarded on to us some correspondence he has recently had with Watford Borough Council (North London) about their motorcycle parking policy. Whilst we had so far assumed that the motorcycle parking policy in Westminster (one of the boroughs in Central London) was by far the most discriminatory and socially exclusive of all by offering motorcyclists only one method of payment on the (erroneous) assumption that all bikers own a mobile phone and/or a credit/debit card, you will most likely be shocked by the below correspondence between our reader and Watford Borough Council.

Extract from our reader’s email to Watford Borough Council:

“Whilst in Watford I used to call in on my friend for a couple of hours each week, but now rarely do so because I don’t want to incur a penalty charge through no fault of my own.

I ride a motorcycle which presents several problems for the visitor who wishes to park in Shaftesbury Road and I don’t believe you have given adequate consideration to incorporating all road users in your parking scheme.

I am amazed that you didn’t dedicate one car parking bay for the exclusive use of motorcycles in order to obviate the problems of displaying a parking ticket or the Resident’s Visitor Voucher on a motorcycle. According to my friend, the car park is now a “white elephant” & turning over one car bay to motorcycles would have zero effect on revenue since there are rarely more than two cars which park there anyway. I should therefore be very interested in your responses to the following questions:

1. How do you suggest the Pay & Display parking ticket or the 185mm x 94mm Resident’s Visitor Voucher be attached to a motorcycle so as to ensure that it isn’t stolen for use in a car? What steps can I take to make certain that the voucher survives, for example, the torrential precipitations of October/November 2012?

2. Where should the voucher/ticket be displayed in order that the Parking Attendant actually sees it? Around the handlebars? Front forks? Across the petrol tank? Pillion saddle strap? Where?

3. Some months ago I was advised by one of your staff to stick the Resident’s Visitor Voucher to my bike using Sellotape but this is ineffectual in the rain. In December I nearly got written up for a parking violation simply because the sodden voucher, stuck on the side of the petrol tank with Sellotape, fell off.

Extract from Watford Borough Council’s response:

“It has always been this Council’s policy that all vehicles, including motorcycles, must pay and/or display the required voucher or ticket. It had always been understood the reasoning for this to be that many of the CPZ [Controlled Parking Zones] roads are already under pressure and there is simply a lack of road space to allow these vehicles to park on-street for free. Depending upon how a motorcycle is parked it can take up the same space as a car. As a result, unfortunately no exceptions apply in the CPZ TRO [Traffic Regulation Orders] for motorcycles.

I do understand the problem you are experiencing with displaying your visitor’s voucher/parking ticket however, as per the publicised cancellation policy document, which is on the Council website, it is not possible for the Council to advise motorists how they display tickets of vouchers. All motorcycles are different, i.e. some have windscreens and others do not. Ultimately, this remains the responsibility of the motorcycle owner.

I am sorry that I cannot help you any further with the problems you are having in displaying your parking ticket/visitor’s voucher and trust the above helps to clarify the situation”.

Right, so if we understand Watford Borough Council’s message correctly, you motorcyclists are a nuisance to us and we don’t want you around. It is entirely your problem if you have decided to own (and ride) a motorcycle and, therefore, you must face the consequences of your choice. We consider and treat motorcycles like cars so get on with it as we will not make any effort to help you and provide an adequate and practical solution to the issues you are facing with our universal parking policy.

Oh well, thank God, not all borough councils across the United Kingdom and beyond are being so short-minded and discriminatory against bikers, who use a mode of transport that is a golden solution to road congestion, reducing air pollution and minimising space utilisation.

If you’re based in France and want to take part in the fight against the Government’s continued policy to ban motorcyclists from filtering through traffic, then contact the Fédération Française des Motards en Colère (FFMC – French Federation of Angry Bikers).

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Bikers in France, whether residents or visitors, have started 2013 with good news: the French authorities have recently announced the full and permanent scrapping of previous plans to force all bikers riding a machine of more than 125cc to wear 150cm2 of reflective clothing anywhere between the waist and the shoulders. Under the previous proposals, bikers who were caught not wearing the appropriate reflective clothing from 1st January 2013 would have been liable to a 68 euros fine payable on the spot and two points taken off their licence.

French bikers, with the invaluable and continuous support of the French Federation of Angry Bikers – FFMC (Fédération Française des Motards en Colère), can now enjoy riding all over France without wearing any reflective clothing if they so wish.

Manuel Valls, the French Interior Minister (right), announced the good news to the biking community earlier this month and a large number of bikers celebrated their victory of what had been a long battle that took several months. Manuel Valls has now officially decided to permanently scrap the ludicrous and non-sense proposals put forward by Claude Guéant, his predecessor, who had been ejected from the French government following last year’s presidential elections. The battle, which involved a series of national demonstrations gathering over 100,000 bikers and bringing the whole country to a complete stop, has obviously paid off and brought a fantastic result.

Guéant initially proposed the compulsory wear of reflective jackets and, with the enormous pressure he was put under with thousands of angry bikers who kept blocking the roads all over the country, he decided to back off and restrict the reflective clothing to only 150cm2 between the waist and the shoulders. But this was not good enough – the bikers demanded full scrapping of the proposals, which they have now finally obtained.

This was one of the most laughable and absurd proposals we had ever heard of because a) reflective clothing is precisely not reflective during day light, b) it is already compulsory to ride with headlights turned on, which makes riders clearly visible and c) those who ride machines of up to 125cc would have been exempt from wearing reflective clothing on the grounds that they don’t ride a powerful enough bike to be considered dangerous on the roads! Let’s not forget that a very large number of motorcyclists who ride a moped or a 125cc bike are precisely those who don’t hold a full motorcycle licence and have only attended at the very most a one-off 7 hour training course all together.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FFMC AND ALL BIKERS IN FRANCE!

There is nothing more productive than get together, stand up for our rights and fight against ludicrous public decisions that discriminate bikers against other road users and make our lives difficult when we use a mode of transport that should be encouraged, as it is the golden SOLUTION to reduce road congestion and air pollution. Demonstrate, stand up for our rights, fight against our government’s ludicrous proposals that put the future of motorcycling in danger – are these what perhaps British bikers should do more by following the example of their French neighbours?

Whilst French bikers have remarkably won the reflective clothing battle, they now have to continue their fight against their government to make traffic filtering (or “lane splitting” to use the North American terminology) legal in France.

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If you’re based in France and want to take part in the fight against the Government’s continued policy to ban motorcyclists from filtering through traffic, then contact the Fédération Française des Motards en Colère (FFMC – French Federation of Angry Bikers).

Please join and support the campaign to stop Westminster Council from stealth taxing motorcyclists to park before their scheme spreads all over the UK and the rest of Europe. For further details, visit http://www.notobikeparkingtax.com/

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Jack Frost is swiftly on his way into France and the United Kingdom, throwing little flu parcels at everyone and making sure that the ground is as slippery as possible. While drivers are abandoning their cars left, right and centre, the savvy two-wheeled warrior can still ride through the winter streets so long as they are careful. The last thing you want is to have a mishap right before Christmas and spend the holidays having that conversation with your motorbike insurance company (if you can even get through to them; the Christmas season is incredibly busy). It’s best to avoid damage to yourself and your bike where possible, so here are some tips to riding out the winter in style.

Winter gear

It doesn’t matter how tough you think you are; if you go riding in the dead of winter with your summer leathers you’re going to feel more than a twinge of cold. Your winter riding kit should give you added water resistance and insulation without compromising on protection. This is especially important for your hands since they’re one of the first parts of your body to feel the cold (and you don’t want to lose sensation to the part that controls the bike!). Gauntlets are even better as they stop water getting into the gloves and improve airflow, so your hands aren’t cold but neither do they sweat.

With the days getting shorter, it’s a good idea to make yourself as visible as possible since you’re likely to be riding in the dark. Reflective clothing will help increase your visibility when riding during the dark mornings, making sure that other motorists are aware of you on the road.

Taking care of your bike

A biker is only as good as their machine, so you’ll need to keep your bike in tip-top condition so that it purrs like a kitten. There’s an urban legend that reducing your tyre pressure will give you more grip when riding through snow and ice. Don’t do this; not only is it dangerous but it’s also quite illegal. It’s much safer to ensure that your tyres are inflated according to the recommended pressure given by the manufacturer.

Also, remember to clean your lights regularly so they are giving you as much visibility as possible. Give your lights and mirrors a wipe down before each journey to remove debris and dirt.

Riding tips

The roads are going to be wet, and they’re going to be slippery. Whereas your stopping distance is twice as long as normal on a wet road, when it comes to snow and ice it’s going to be ten times as long, so allow for plenty of time when stopping to minimise road spray and to limit the risk of losing control.

The winter season is going to throw all kinds of nastiness at you – sudden winds, poor visibility, heavy snowfall and pedestrians that are too busy bracing against the cold to notice a motorcycle nearby. Take it easy when you ride and be extra cautious so you have more time to adapt and react to whatever curveballs the weather throws at you.

Lastly, don’t forget to keep a thermos of tea in your pannier. A winter rider can’t function properly without a nice cup of tea.

Jamie Gibbs is the resident blogger for motorcycle insurance comparison site Confused.com. His first experience on a motorbike was while riding pillion, where he accidentally sat on the exhaust. It took him a few months to work up the courage to try again.

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If you’re based in France and want to take part in the fight against the Government’s proposed introduction of a compulsory annual environmental and road safety test for motorcycles and their continued policy to ban motorcyclists from filtering through traffic, then contact the Fédération Française des Motards en Colère (FFMC – French Federation of Angry Bikers).

Please join and support the campaign to stop Westminster Council from stealth taxing motorcyclists to park before their scheme spreads all over the UK and the rest of Europe. For further details, visit http://www.notobikeparkingtax.com/